You Promised
by RingWarriorAzec2113
Summary: Ginny witnesses a private moment between two of her Profesors. MMAD. Constructive crit welcomed. I want to know what you think. Flames will be ignored or used to toast marshmallows for S'mores!


You Promised

**One shot. Written when inspiration struck after reading someone else's fic. Bit random. Came out of nowhere. Tell me what you think. **

**-/\-**

Ginny froze. Something had just brushed her ankle. She didn't dare look down. _Please don't be Mrs Norris. Please. _She begged silently. She looked down and gave a sigh of relief. The cat stalking away down the corridor was tabby not yellowy-brown. It turned the corner a few metres ahead of her. She followed.

Then she heard a scuffle ahead of her and a sharp exclamation. "Good grief Minerva. You gave the fright of my life. What's wrong?"

Ginny peered round the corner. McGonagall was pinning Professor Dumbledore to the wall not ten metres away.

"What's wrong?" She hissed angrily. "You're sneaking off on some mission again without a word of warning." McGonagall's hands tightened their grip on Dumbledore's robes.

"You're leaving me here with this Umbridge woman while you go to do something anyone in the order could do."

"Minerva I know you don't like her b-"

McGonagall cut him off. "The woman's crazed. She uses a blood quill in detentions. I've seen the cuts on my Gryffindor's hands. She's trying to get a position higher than yours from the Ministry, she's..."

Dumbledore interrupted. "I know what's she's doing and I'd like nothing better than to string her up myself for you. However I don't think murdering the Minister's Senior Undersecretary would go down too well."

Ginny could hear the wry smile in his voice.

McGonagall opened her mouth again but didn't get the chance to speak. "This isn't really about Delores is it?" Dumbledore asked gently.

Ginny watched as McGonagall shook her head. She had to stifle a gasp as Dumbledore reached out and cupped her face in his hand.

"I worry about you Albus. These missions are getting more risky by the day. The ministry won't believe he's back. The Order, you, are all that's standing in You-Know-Who's way." she paused then said in a voice so soft that Ginny almost missed it. "What would I do if I lost you?"

Dumbledore pulled her into an embrace and she put her arms round his neck. Ginny saw the light glint off a silver band on McGonagall's finger. "You are not going to lose me Minnie." He replied firmly. "I promise." Ginny felt as if time had almost frozen as her Professors stood there in the faint lamplight holding each other.

Ginny crept away as he kissed her hair lightly. Dumbledore glanced in her direction as he did so and Ginny took that as the que to leave. Her heart was hammering and she was glad they hadn't seen her. Or at least she hoped they hadn't. McGonagall and Dumbledore. She couldn't believe it. Wait till she told Hermione. Hermione had always suspected that there was something between them.

The next day Dumbledore was conspicuous only by his absence. Ginny couldn't help glancing towards McGonagall. She noticed that the usually stern Deputy Head looked tired and not quite with it. McGonagall was gazing out at the great hall while Umbridge twittered in her ear and Ginny doubted she was seeing it.

She decided not to tell anyone as she looked. It made McGonagall seem more human. More vulnerable and that scared her.

-/\-

Ginny didn't think of it again. Not till the night she pulled Harry away from the body at the foot of the tower. She saw McGonagall run past her looking stricken.

She knew she'd never forget the scream that rent the air when McGonagall reached him. People stopped in their tracks and stared as the anguished sound rose into the air. So full of grief. Ginny looked back and paused. Through the gap that McGonagall had forced through the crowd she could see her Professor holding the body of her dead husband and sobbing.

She read her Professor's lips as she said two words.

"You promised."

-/\-

**As always please review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism welcomed. Flames will be ignored.**


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